A Naples couple returned from a 10-day trip to Europe Tuesday night, only to find that someone had broken into their home on Riviera Drive and stole their safe full of jewelry.
"The first thing we noticed was in the closet, with the safe basically torn out of the wall," said Geri Walker, who often gave his wife Bonnie jewelry as gifts over their 37 years of marriage.
"Her whole life's worth of jewelry," Geri said. "A lot of mementos and keepsakes."
The dollar value for the stolen jewelry is listed at about $10,000, but to Bonnie, it means much more.
"A ring my dad gave me when I was 16, my mother's wedding ring and engagement ring," Bonnie explained.
The safe also held insurance and legal documents.
Then the couple saw how the burglar - or burglars - got in the house: by smashing the window of their patio door with a dumbbell.
They said very little else in their home was taken or disturbed.
"They walked by computers, TVs, electronic equipment," Geri said.
"It seemed obvious that they were after one thing," Bonnie added.
As the Walkers deal with their shock, they're trying to help police determine if the burglar might be someone who has done service at theie home.
"That's what we've been trying to figure out, somebody that might have known the safe was there," Geri said.
Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call Naples Police, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.
